Chapter 22: Calamities of the Past

"What is his name?!"

Lin Xu pressed his gun against the hostage’s forehead. The man was trembling like a leaf in the wind, stuttering as he replied:

"I... I don't remember..."

"I really don't remember anymore..."

"Think!" Lin Xu demanded sternly. "How could you possibly not remember? You saw his name over a decade ago, and you could still recall it when you saw it in the news years later! Now you’re telling me you don't remember?"

"I really don't remember..." The hostage collapsed to his knees, his hands waving aimlessly in the air as if in a trance. "I can't think of it... I really can't think of it..."

"Open the document I need, and then take your time to think! You have 32 minutes left! Tell me the answer within 32 minutes, and you can go!"

Hearing this, the hostage’s eyes lit up immediately. "I'll try to think, I'll try..."

Lin Xu didn't shoot the man in the knee this time. Instead, he hurried to detach the drag strap from his tactical vest and quickly bound the man's hands and feet. He then turned his attention to the computer screen, focusing on memorizing the content displayed.

The general framework had already been recorded; now he needed to supplement it with a series of detailed technical requirements.

—And that was the hardest part!

Lin Xu was almost completely immersed in the task until he was startled by the sudden sound of footsteps outside.

They were here!

This time, the rapid response team didn't use drones; they had initiated a building assault according to standard procedure. They had clearly locked onto his position.

"Don't come any closer!" Lin Xu shouted. "I’m holding two grenades in my hand! These are contact-fused defensive grenades—they’ll explode the moment they hit the ground! The pins are already pulled; if I let go, the hostage dies with me! Don't even think about a reckless assault! You’ll kill the hostage!"

"Understood, understood!" a voice replied from outside the door. "Stay calm, don't hurt the hostage, we will give you time. We can talk about this. What exactly do you want?"

"I just want to find an answer. Once I find it, I’ll surrender myself! Just give me some time!"

"Of course, of course!"

The response from outside made Lin Xu breathe a sigh of relief. At that moment, the hostage suddenly lifted his head.

"I remember! Xu Jin! That man's name is Xu Jin! He was an academician at the Materials Research Institute... Yes, I remember! The Jinling Materials Research Institute! That’s right, that’s why the institute seized his research results later. He was a spy... no, wait, he wasn't a spy. He must have just made a mistake..."

Xu Jin?

What the hell? He had never even heard of him!

In truth, before asking the question, Lin Xu had formed a vague expectation. He thought the hostage would most likely say his own name or that of Jiang Xingye. Only then would the logic between the bracelet’s world and the real world be perfectly self-consistent. After all, he was about to copy out the industrial production process for the materials. Surely his name deserved to be on the patent application? Or was it because the "critical node" hadn't been reached yet, so the world inside the bracelet hadn't changed accordingly?

That was possible.

But it didn't matter. This clue was enough. The hostage hadn't just given a name; he had given the workplace, too. If there were questions, he would just go find him! If Jiang Xingye didn't know about the Planetary Reincarnation organization, surely he would?

Lin Xu lowered his head again and said, "Understood. Wait for me a few more minutes. Not long, just... 12 minutes. Don't worry, as long as you stay still, I guarantee you won't be hurt at all..."

*Buzz—*

Before Lin Xu could finish, a faint humming sound filled the small storage room, and the lights began to flicker.

Without warning, his body began to convulse violently. His muscles contracted into tight knots, his fingers clenching into fists so hard his knuckles protruded as if they were about to burst through his skin. His ribs creaked under the pressure, and the air was forced out of his lungs. A wave of intense dizziness washed over him; he couldn't even move, let alone fight back.

*Damn it.*

What kind of weapon was this?!

Lin Xu’s eyes bulged involuntarily. The next second, someone kicked the storage room door open.

"Target located. No explosives. Clear."

The man walked toward Lin Xu, drew handcuffs, and expertly cuffed his hands behind his back. Only then did the intense pain of the muscle contractions begin to subside.

"...What is this weapon..." His throat was hoarse from the muscle tearing; his voice sounded as if someone had sliced his vocal cords.

"You don't need to know. Get up, come with me!"

Lin Xu rose obediently, catching a glimpse of the tactical watch on the man's wrist.

"It's too late," he said. "We only have 9 minutes left. There’s no need to drag me to the Maritime Security interrogation room. If you want to ask me anything, just ask it here; it’ll be easier for everyone."

The man paused, then smiled with a hint of sarcasm. "You’ve got guts. But you aren't in a position to make demands. By the way, the people you brought have already surrendered. No one is coming to save you. So, there’s no need to stall for time."

"I wasn't trying to stall for time," Lin Xu said, looking at the man with an innocent expression. "I was just trying to make the best use of my time."

The man pushed Lin Xu out of the room. Only then did he see the strange device deployed in the office building, aimed directly at the storage room.

"What is this? An ultrasonic emitter?"

"Infrasound," the man corrected.

"...I’ve never heard of infrasound having this effect."

"There’s a lot you don't know."

The man escorted Lin Xu down the stairs. The lobby of the main office building was already filled with injured people. Medics were performing emergency aid, and some of the casualties were already covered with white sheets.

"This is what you people do," Lin Xu said. "For the sake of your own selfish desires, you recklessly harm innocent lives. What did they do wrong? Even if you wanted to achieve your goal, you could have used more gentle methods. But you don't even want to use your brains; you only resort to violence..."

"Wait," Lin Xu interrupted the man. "First, I am not a member of the organization you think I am—the Planetary Reincarnation."

A flash of surprise crossed the man's face. Lin Xu continued, "Second, I know they are innocent, and I know they shouldn't have died. It is precisely because they shouldn't have died that they had to die here."

"I don't have time for your riddles or wordplay," the man said, his face cold. "If you want to confess now, fine. In the interrogation room, you’ll suffer less."

"There's no time left." Lin Xu glanced at the holographic projection area next to the main office building. The time displayed was 11:58. "Only two minutes left. By the way, I want to ask you a question. Do you know Xu Jin?"

At the mention of the name, the man’s movements faltered.

"You're looking for Xu Jin? You really aren't a member of the Planetary Reincarnation?"

"I told you, I'm not."

A spark of realization flashed through Lin Xu’s mind. He saw the subtle shift in the man's attitude. It was softening. This wasn't the first time something like this had happened, was it? Other people were looking for Xu Jin as well.

Sure enough, after a brief silence, the man spoke again.

"What do you want with him?"

"The same thing everyone else looking for him wants," Lin Xu replied ambiguously.

The frontline squad leader was clearly not a professional interrogator. After hearing Lin Xu’s reply, a trace of regret flashed in his eyes. "You shouldn't have done this. I understand the pain of the victims, but the law has already given him his due punishment. Your retaliation has implicated more innocent people, which will inevitably lead to a greater catastrophe."

Victims? What exactly had Xu Jin done?

By now, the man had pushed Lin Xu outside the factory building. Skull and his team were lying on the ground; as they looked up at Lin Xu, their helpless eyes were filled with sorrow. They had been captured, too. Or perhaps, they had just surrendered?

It didn't matter. Everything was about to end anyway.

Lin Xu looked up at the sky. "It’s a pity. You will probably never know that we were actually right. Because there is no time left."

The man turned to Lin Xu, confused.

The next second, the sky lit up.

As everyone was momentarily incapacitated by the flash, Lin Xu, relying on his memory, struggled and lunged toward the high wall ahead.

"Bang!"